As a child, Andrew von Teichman was bullied for wearing an eye-patch to treat his astigmatism. That experience helped determine how he and his wife, Natalie von Teichman, would later raise their own four sons.
Bullying is part of every school experience — something that always has been and always will be. Which is why concerned parents and students need reminders of services and support available in anti-bullying initiatives.
He used to be a bully. In high school, he would tease others to build himself up, he says. Then it hit him. He stopped bullying once he understood how his actions could lead to very real, very serious consequences, the now 22-year-old Durham College student said.
In movies such as DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story and Bad Teacher, dodgeball is depicted as the sport of choice for bullies to torment their peers. But for one Toronto team they find themselves aiming for quite the opposite.
What was supposed to be around 50 students ended up as hundreds wearing pink to school on the same day. April 13 was the Day of Pink across the Toronto District School Board. The event is meant to raise awareness about bullying and to show a stand against it.